CD Reviews

Something in the punchbowl

Randy Norman | Brandon, MS USA | 10/19/2001

(1 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this hoping to hear re-workings of the originals, but instead found attempts to mostly re-create the songs note-for-note. The only real exception is Robert Berry's version of "Roundabout". He actually took some time and re-composed this song, and the result is a completely different yet interesting version.I find the rest of this CD to be embarrassingly painful to listen to, and recommend that you surf swiftly past it. My only comfort is listening to the originals after putting this CD on. Similar to the good feeling you get after ceasing to hit yourself in the head with a hammer.You're right-I didn't like this one."

Fantastic tribute album.

ralph williams | Bradford, UK | 12/05/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"How many reviews have you read which say "such and such a song is worth the price of admission alone". But this time it's true and there are two of them: "Roundabout" by Robert Berry and "Startship Trooper" by Jeronimo Road. These are what cover versions should be all about - not just recreating the original note for note but breathing new life and energy into a song which, as in the case of these two, have probably been played to death by most Yes fans. Sometimes this doesn't work, e.g. Magellan's "Don't Kill The Whale" but it is very refreshing that bands are still progressive enough to give it ago. Most of the other tracks are good as well but special mention should be made to the version of "Turn Of The Century" by Steve Howe and Annie Haslam - it's wonderful and worth the price of admission by itself."

A tribute worthy of the music of Yes

Allegra | Ohio | 11/03/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"When I first found this album, I thought it was interesting but just okay. Now that I've had this in my cd player for the last few days straight, I realize it is a much better album than I was giving it credit for. And it has given me a greater appreciation for the strength of the music that Yes has penned over the years, in that other artists can take these familiar old gems and reimagine them with a new freshness and power (something Yes themselves did on the Keys to Ascension album). No wonder so many current bands count Yes among their musical influences.

A few of the songs are exact copies of the originals - Enchant's "Changes", for example, or Steve Morse's covers of Howe's solo pieces. This is not a bad thing! Why mess with perfection? Also, Billy Sherwood's delicate but confident performance on World Trade's "Wonderous Stories" reflects his long association with Yes, both on and off stage.

But the album really shines when the artists take the original song and infuse it with their own style. As other reviewers have noted, Annie Haslam's and Steve Howe's "Turn of the Century" is just sublime. Robert Berry's "Roundabout" riffs remind me of the some of the best songs on Yes' Open Your Eyes album. Magellan's "Don't Kill the Whale" takes a song that sounds rather dated on the Tormato album (admit it, it does) and infuses it with new enegy. But the biggest suprise for me was Patrick Moraz' solo piano "Soon". It is one of the times I wish the song were much longer so I could hear what else he might have done with it. "Soon" was never one of my favorite Yes songs, but this version is one of my favorites off of this album.

Perhaps, as one reviewer noted, this was a blatent attempt by Magna Carta to push their stable of artists. But I think the artists featured rose to the challenge and created a tribute worthy of the music of Yes."

'Tales From Yesterday: Yes Tribute' (Manga Carta) Various Ar

Mike Reed | USA | 11/27/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Was never even aware of this 13 track Yes tribute CD release until I stumbled across a super-low priced copy.As for tribute ablums go, it's decent. I still say,there are simply too MANY tribute CD's out there. Tunes I dug the most here are Robert Berry's re-working of "Roundabout",World Trade's "Wonderous Stories" (very well done),Enchant's "Changes" and Jeronimo Road's contribution of "Starship Trooper". One thing I'll say about each and every artist on this CD,they KNEW plenty (enough,anyway)about Yes to turn in a good tribute title. Not bad at all."